Page 84 of Angel's Flight
“You know Monsieur Motlagh?”
“I never bothered learning the villain’s name.”Any softness Jammes had let slip in was gone, replaced by haughty scorn.“But if you mean the Persian who forced me to be his spy, then yes.He had me passing his notes and forced me to—”
Jammes face turned fully to stone and she peered coldly at Meg.“What is it?”Meg asked, suddenly afraid of the woman’s wrath.
“Don’t trust him, whatever he wants you to do,” Jammes said.“He did awful things to track down the ghost and then left it all behind.For all I know, he’s the one who brought down the chandelier.”
“I don’t think—”
“You’re a child, Meg Giry, of course you don’t,” Jammes said with finality and stalked away down the hall.
Meg didn’t know what to say or think.She had even more questions now than before, and even less of an idea of where to find the answers.She wished Shaya was still here to question or that she could get a moment with Armand Moncharmin.Maybe Darius would tell her something?Though he was loyal to a fault.Meg was beginning to fear that the only people who knew the truth about who the ghost had been were either long gone or would take their secrets to the grave.
Liverpool
They had traveled separately, by train and carriage, for more than a day.Erik was tired down to his bones, but even so, he couldn’t bring himself to take the last steps to the foggy dock.He knew Christine was waiting there with all they had to their name, waiting to board the ship that would take them to Dublin.It wouldn't be a long voyage – a day only – but it was just the prelude to more trains and carriages to carry them to county Sligo and an uncertain fate.
Erik knew he would feel better – or at least human again – when he saw his angel, and more so when they were alone and he could fall at her feet, but he didn’t know if he deserved that.He chanced a few steps closer anyway, feeling like the cold, wet air was weighing him down.
“He should be here soon,” came the sound of Christine’s voice through the mist.Quiet.Apprehensive.She was waiting for him.
Erik froze.
“I’ll wait with you until he comes,” Letitia’s voice answered.“The train back isn’t until tomorrow and I have a room at the inn.”
She wasn’t alone, that was good.Wasn’t it?Erik had been glad of the idea for Christine to travel with her friends old and new to avoid detection.Bidaut and Pauline would be looking for them to travel together or separately: it was much easier to blend in with a group.
“Thank you.For everything,” Christine replied.Erik imagined her smile.It was easy to do; he’d spent months listening to her through walls and from the shadows.Imagining her beauty and perfection.Before he had ruined it.“It was good to laugh.”
“I’m sure you’ll make good use of the advice,” Letita replied, her voice warm and seductive.“And everything else.”
“Thank you for taking in Adèle as well.I promise it will only be for a—”
“Don’t mention it.We’ll have a lovely time,” Letitia hummed back.That should have consoled Erik too, but it only weighed upon him more.
Christine had been insistent about sending word to Adèle that she might be in danger.She had been the one to make the full confession to her friend and proclaim that she had to stay with Letitia in safety for a while.Adèle, for her part, had declared that she didn’t need protection from detectives, but she’d at least promised to indulge Christine for a while.It didn’t make Erik feel any better.Of all the people their pursuit had endangered, Adèle deserved it the least.She had suffered because of them already and deserved peace.
“I’m sure you will,” Christine laughed in a warm, suggestive way that made something in Erik squirm.He inched closer.
“I’ll truly be sad not to have you at my next salon,” Letitia replied and again, there was filtration in the tone that Erik couldn’t understand.Or didn’t want to.
“Maybe when things settle down, we can still—” Christine’s voice caught with emotion, and Erik winced at the guilt stabbing him in the gut.She was crying and it was his fault.At least his guilt made him move.
He unfurled himself from the dark and appeared.Christine saw him first and he didn’t deserve the light in her face.In a heartbeat, Christine was there, pulling him into her arms.Erik was so shocked that it took him a moment to hug her back.Was she genuinely happy to see him?Why?His whole body felt tired and stiff, but it was still bliss to melt into her, to feel her against him.He let out a shaking breath as he was finally made whole, though he deserved to remain broken.
“You’re late,” Christine muttered into his shoulder.
“We knew you’d arrive in the most dramatic way,” Letitia added.Erik met her eyes over Christine’s head and she gave a soft smile.It confused him as well.This woman had also seen him.Wasn’t she appalled now?
“I’m sorry,” Erik said automatically, the easiest words that seemed to come to him.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Christine sighed.She was so kind.“We should board.They’ve already taken our things.”
“I—” Erik began to protest, but there was no fight left in him against this path.“Thank you, Letitia, for taking care of her for me.”Not that he was particularly good at it.
“She takes care of herself quite well.I just kept her company,” Letitia corrected, and rightly so.Erik already felt seasick.
“Safe journeys.I do hope to hear from you soon, my loves, somehow,” Letitia said with a wink.“Good luck.”
